Key Contacts

We have 150 staff divided between our sites in East Sussex and Northamptonshire. We believe that by investing time and resources in our staff our service users will reap the rewards through excellent care. Because we look after everyone who works for us, staff turnover is low with an average length of service of four years. This is high for the care industry.

Every member of staff is important but we think it is important to share as much information as possible about our key managers.

Meet the Team

Chris Andrews, Chief Executive Officer Avens Ltd.

Chief Executive Officer, Chris Andrews has a Professional Diploma in Management Science, a certificate in Advance Management Care (City and Guilds Distinction), which he lectured on at Sussex Downs College, Eastbourne in 2004, and the 7301 Further Education Trainer Certificate (City & Guilds). He is also a Qualified Assessor for Health and Social Care Diploma at level 5 for Management, a Senior NAPPI (Non Abusive Psychological Physical Intervention) UK trainer and has managed learning disability services for more than 20 years.

Chris has been with Avens since the beginning, firstly as a caretaker for an empty building, which eventually became St. Anthonys Residential Care home. Chris went on to become a Care Assistant after St. Anthony’s first residents moved in, and within a year became a Team Leader.

While working at St. Anthony’s, Chris’ previous experience at managing the Safeways bakery caught the attention of Dr. Jonathan Prus, who was the Chief Exectuive Officer of Avens at the time. Chris worked under and alongside Dr. Prus as his role developed until finally taking over as CEO in 2012 after Dr. Prus retired.

"I have been there every step of the way, since Avens grew from one building with 28 Service Users and 30 staff, to what we are now, which includes four successful residential care homes and eighteen supported living properties which provides homes for 120 different people and provide jobs for over 150 staff. Over the past twenty years, I have gone from a Care Assistant to where I am now. All that time spent with Avens makes it more than just a job, it is my family, and I care very deeply for my family. I instil this level of passion and commitment down into the rest of the Avens workforce, and I see that fuel drive us every day.”

Chris Andrews is currently based in Northamptonshire, continuing to work closely with the Avens Supported Living, something that he and Dr. Prus built together, as well as developing new projects like The Ferns residential care home.

Pawel Orlikowski, Director of Operations Avens Ltd.

Originally from Poland, Pawel Orlikowski is the Director of Operations Avens Ltd. He is highly qualified with a Master's degree in nursing, an NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care and the Registered Manager's Award. He also has a Professional Diploma in Management.

Pawel has been with Avens for over a decade and is responsible for a number of properties and projects throughout East Sussex as well as working with local authorities in the South East of England.

"Avens provide excellent services for its customers, excellent working conditions for its staff and has a great reputation. Avens has given me an incredible opportunity for my professional development and my work gives me a huge amount of job satisfaction."

Clair Andrews, Director of Human Resources, Avens Ltd

Clair Andrews has worked for Avens since 1996 and has progressed from a Care Worker and Team Leader to being made a Director in 2012. Clair has spent time in various roles but most prominently as the Training Manager, where she was a leading figure in ensuring that staff were well trained and qualified, which included delivering training, assessing and verifying qualifications as well as supporting the Tailored Training team.

Now Clair has moved onto Human Resources, which Avens has recognized as a real asset due to it's rapid growth in recent years. Clair's understanding of various legislation that affects Health and Social Care, due to practising and preaching them for decades, means no one is in a better position to support Avens employees' well being while ensuring that the best, most professional care is delivered. Her decade of training has meant she has built up a rapport with long standing staff while being in a position to help newer staff adapt to their new roles within Avens.

"Human resources is something that I think I was always doing, as I was regularly looking out for the well being of my team and those I supported, from when I was a Care Worker, Team Leader all the way up to trainer and manager. If you have unhappy staff, it's obvious you will have unhappy service users, and most problems can be easily sorted with a phone call or meeting, so why not do it? Now though with my HR training, I have the understanding on how best to support those we employ and the business, so that everyone can walk away happy."

Mihaela Sas, Manager of St Anthony's, East Sussex

Mihaela joined Avens Ltd in January 2007, she began as a support-worker, then a team leader and was promoted in 2014 to deputy manager before becoming the manager a decade after joining the company.

Grzegorz has worked for Avens since 2006. Beginning as a support worker, he has progressed to Team Leader, Deputy Manager and now, it is great pride that Avens can announce that Grzegorz is the Manager of Avens Supported Living Sussex (ASLS).

Julie Morrison is leading our latest Residential Care Home in Raunds, Northamptonshire.

Julie has 20 years of experience of Supporting Adults with learning disabilities to live in their local community independently. Julie has worked for Avens Ltd since 2009, previously Julie worked for Northants Social Services as a care manager.

Julie is especially passionate about Person Centred Planning, putting the people she supports at the heart of the decision making process, and tailoring creative services around individual need, she places importance on staff training and believes this is the key to providing successful care services.

Seeing first hand the difference planning makes to people's lives, is one of Julie's key motivators.

Julie is very excited about the new Raunds project, Julie stated "This is a very exciting time for my team and myself. We want to give community presence, real Care Plans that meet the individual needs".

Julie is supported by her Deputy Manager, Mandy Brady. She has worked for Avens since 2004 and started working at our sister Care Home at Ringstead, as a Support Worker, then a Team Leader and was promoted to Head of Care. It was a natural progression for her to be promoted as Deputy Manager at Raunds. Mandy is the link between all stakeholders within the care setting.

Daniel Andrews, Manager of Avens Supported Living Northants (ASLN).

Daniel has been recently confirmed as the Registered Manager of ASLN. Daniel has obtained an NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care and the Diploma Level 5 in Leadership.

Daniel has been employed by Avens since 2009 and within this time he has worked in various roles, from Support Worker to Manager.

Daniel says: "Quality services are not static, and must respond to the needs of the people who use them. This requires myself to lead by example, advocating for service improvement, and supporting all members of staff to deliver it. It is about reconciling multiple, sometimes conflicting, perspectives and it involves balancing budgets and regulatory pressures against the views of staff and the individuals whom we support; however, there is also considerable room for making choices and a proactive manager can work with these factors, engaging with a variety of points of view so that services can be challenged and, ultimately, improved, ensuring we achieve the best outcomes for both staff and the individuals whom we support."

Bella Wood is currently the deputy manager of ASLN, supporting Daniel in the day to day management of the supported living service in Northamptonshire.

Bella joined Avens in 2012 after working in residential care as a night staff and team leader for 4 years and gaining her Level 3 in Health and Social Care. Bella quickly moved on from the support worker role, becoming a Head of Support and then Senior Head of Support before being confirmed as the new Deputy Manager in 2014.

When asked about her time with Avens and what she wants to achieve here, Bella said "I love the atmosphere and structure that Avens has. I always had someone to turn to when I was a support worker and now I am helping the staff and customers with the problems I faced only a few years ago. It's really rewarding to be able to give back in this way while helping ASLN to continue to expand and become more successful. I am looking forward to seeing our customers continue to develop and move onto more independent living, and seeing the staff go through similar developments as they become premium carers"

Michelle has worked at Ringstead since 2001 as a care worker all the way up to Deputy Manager, where she supported Denise Lyford for 9 years before being made Manager at 39 Denford Rd at the beginning of 2016. Michelle has already made her mark on the home, with improvements to the back flats lounge already completed, creating a beautiful living space for those who live there to relax in.

"I have always been impressed by Avens' friendly and open ethos. I have received total support from the company over the years. Firstly being employed as a support worker, team leader, head of care and deputy manager, and now the manager. Every role has been rewarding which I think is down to the happy atmosphere Avens promotes. Best of all, I feel lucky to be able to support our service users and help them have the best possible quality of life."

"At the end of the day, it's not about us, it's about them and it's about what they want and what makes them happy. That's what makes me happy, is knowing that everyone who lives here is happy to be getting up in the morning because they've got something to look forward to."